Appreciating the works of C Hamilton Ellis

During the lock down I have taken to re-reading the books written by C. Hamilton Ellis and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Given that his style would now be considered somewhat dated and representative of a bygone privileged background I just wonder how many others on the forum might share the same opinion. An example of a very good read is his book on the London Midland & Scottish railway, packed full of detail and historical account and written with a great sense of humour

I've got 'Some Classic Locomotives' and 'The Trains We Loved'. Can't say I find his style dated, though the classic locomotives are!

Does anyone model 19th century express locos like the example above? It's typical of the light locomotives used to pull express passenger trains before super-heating. Engine with a single pair of large diameter driving wheels, occasionally two, engine and tender about 50 tons, pulling carriages weighing 200 tons and averaging under 60mph on most routes. Struck me that most of LBSC's designs are 20th century and as a young man he modelled current practice rather than nostalgia.

While Victorian locomotives lack the sleek powerful good looks of steam locomotives designed after about 1900, I find them fascinating. I wonder how well Beattie's Patent Three Barrel Condenser worked, and if the idea has any merit for IMLEC?

I like O.S.Nock too!

Dave

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Yup! That's the boy. I want one...

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